Yes..yes...yes I really do have a garden.
Well I was starting to sense a coup, so I figured I had better do what I can to get some darn pictures up here. Call off the dogs Mike...I give!
I'm not going to write a bunch right now, but suffice it to say that A~ and I have been busy busy busy. I've been doing some more writing for GRIT magazine, meeting too many deadlines at work, urban-farming nearly double the space and still trying to make sure that I spend some good quality time with the family. Something had to give. We do have some great ideas brewing for later this summer or maybe this fall though, so don't drop me off the reader just yet OK?
And with that... let's take a walk...
I guess that sign about sums it up huh?
You may notice along the way that sunflowers are a recurring theme this year. Let me just say that the bees and insect life have been having a hey day.
This area was one of the last ones in the yard that needed to be finished. It's nearly there...phew!
Remember that new lasagna garden that I tried out this year. It's been kicking some serious butt! My pepper plants and eggplants are a couple feet tall, healthy and I've gotten more peppers already this year than I've gotten any year past.
You can see the ichiban eggplants are getting ready to come on this week too.
This is A~'s favorite part of the garden this year I think. We found this fountain on clearance for over 50% off and had to pick it up. Those are Romas in the background by the way. I have a tone that are getting ready to start turning soon. I got a few this evening. they were nearly as big as my fist.
A new addition to the garden this year.
Artichokes are just coming on. I should get a couple yet this summer, but I'm hoping to over winter them in the forthcoming greenhouse. (more to come on that soon I hope.)
Here's the northside garden. The first five beds you see were the original garden. Beyond that was added this year. (yeah... I told you we've been busy.)
Okra is doing well. I hoped it would come faster but our cold spring didn't help. Oh well, my first year really trying it.
More tomatoes... They're coming on strong now.
Marcello...king of the garden.
The potato patch. The plants are starting to die off so I'll be pulling them soon.
Here's the view from the street. btw - all of those sunflowers are volunteers from last year.
we love these ones... they're called teddy bears.
These are some of my favorites too. they have the big heads like I like, but are only about four feet tall. The bees love em too.
Speaking of bees, check this picture close up. (click to enlarge.) there are at least three different species here I think.
And finally, the fruits of the labors. This was tonights harvest. 17lbs of cukes, zucchini and tomatoes. We're gonna be slicing and drying a bunch of those for sundried tomatoes. Can't wait.
So then, I guess that's a pretty good representation of what's been happening on the farm so far. Some things are behind a bit, others are going like crazy. You know, I guess thats just how it goes though.
Hope all's growing well for you all. Hope to be back soon.
P~
I'm not going to write a bunch right now, but suffice it to say that A~ and I have been busy busy busy. I've been doing some more writing for GRIT magazine, meeting too many deadlines at work, urban-farming nearly double the space and still trying to make sure that I spend some good quality time with the family. Something had to give. We do have some great ideas brewing for later this summer or maybe this fall though, so don't drop me off the reader just yet OK?
And with that... let's take a walk...
I guess that sign about sums it up huh?
You may notice along the way that sunflowers are a recurring theme this year. Let me just say that the bees and insect life have been having a hey day.
This area was one of the last ones in the yard that needed to be finished. It's nearly there...phew!
Remember that new lasagna garden that I tried out this year. It's been kicking some serious butt! My pepper plants and eggplants are a couple feet tall, healthy and I've gotten more peppers already this year than I've gotten any year past.
You can see the ichiban eggplants are getting ready to come on this week too.
This is A~'s favorite part of the garden this year I think. We found this fountain on clearance for over 50% off and had to pick it up. Those are Romas in the background by the way. I have a tone that are getting ready to start turning soon. I got a few this evening. they were nearly as big as my fist.
A new addition to the garden this year.
Artichokes are just coming on. I should get a couple yet this summer, but I'm hoping to over winter them in the forthcoming greenhouse. (more to come on that soon I hope.)
Here's the northside garden. The first five beds you see were the original garden. Beyond that was added this year. (yeah... I told you we've been busy.)
Okra is doing well. I hoped it would come faster but our cold spring didn't help. Oh well, my first year really trying it.
More tomatoes... They're coming on strong now.
Marcello...king of the garden.
The potato patch. The plants are starting to die off so I'll be pulling them soon.
Here's the view from the street. btw - all of those sunflowers are volunteers from last year.
we love these ones... they're called teddy bears.
These are some of my favorites too. they have the big heads like I like, but are only about four feet tall. The bees love em too.
Speaking of bees, check this picture close up. (click to enlarge.) there are at least three different species here I think.
And finally, the fruits of the labors. This was tonights harvest. 17lbs of cukes, zucchini and tomatoes. We're gonna be slicing and drying a bunch of those for sundried tomatoes. Can't wait.So then, I guess that's a pretty good representation of what's been happening on the farm so far. Some things are behind a bit, others are going like crazy. You know, I guess thats just how it goes though.
Hope all's growing well for you all. Hope to be back soon.
P~
Labels:
2009,
2009 garden,
bees,
gardening,
gardening flowers,
organic gardening
12 comments:
Magnificent.
I have to second ChicagoMike's sentiment ... magnificent!
Your garden looks spetacular ... and wow! You have a huge yard!
Wonderful! Love the sunflowers.
Wow, I'm speechless! Your garden is absolutely beautiful. I'm doing okra for the first time this year...hopefully I'll get enough for some pickled okra.. yummy!
Thanks all. Sorry to leave you hanging for so long.
Mike, you're garden's not looking to shabby either. Don't you just love the taste of those fresh 'taters?
Wendy, Thanks... it's really not that big, well for my area anyway. it's 1/4 acre lot. but the house and front take up a good bit of it. We just garden the perimeter.
Marianna, we've been loving them too. Unfortunately last night and today, a heck of a storm came through and blew a bunch of them over.
Eva, Hey... Aloha!! I'm hoping our okra comes through too. with some lck pickled okra is what's on our list too.
Peace all!
Hey P~,
Seriously, your garden looks simply magnificent. I (and many others) know what kind of effort that takes and I am really impressed.
Thanks for the kind words, but my yard is not comparable (yet).
As for the taters, they are the BEST. I find it hard to describe the extensive and real difference. I did not get the type you mound up around. I need to get those next year and do a little more research on that.
With Best Regards,
ChicagoMike
Everything looks fabulous. I dried my tomatoes for the first time this week and although I did over do it and ended up with quite a few that are more crispy than anything else I still marinaded them all in white wine and balsamic vinegar (as per the recipe I had found) and put them into a jar and covred with oil. Have put them into a cupboard and intend to forget about them for a month or two and then see what I think of them.
It did make me realise though, that if I ever get myself an allotment or garden again I will have problems growing enough tomatoes to do everything I want with them: canning, dried, chutney, ketchup, salsa...the list seems to go on and on.
Oh, by the way, will you be trying to save sunflower seeds? For eating, I mean. If you do I'd love to hear about how you do it. I'm not even sure if you can eat seed from any old sunflowers or if only certain types are suitable.
Lovely garden, particularly the "lasagna" part of it :-) and I agree with Wendy, your garden and yard look huge! Lucky you!
Just thought you might like to know there are some plum trees in Layton that produce small (slightly larger than cherries) delicious plums along a city trail. They're are a bunch of trees along the trail as you hike along and many of them are ripe already. There are two varieties a red and yellow. Here's the link to the location http://www.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=41.092055,-111.938539&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=17&sll=41.092047,-111.93856&sspn=0.005418,0.006384&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=17
Some of them are starting to become overripe so you might want to get over there with some bags soon hi you want them!
You have a beautiful and inspiring garden. Thanks for sharing the pictures!
Well I don't know who exactly Jena is that linked you here to visit if your here from "You grow girl" but if can provide any inspiration to another gardener then hey, sign me up!!
Glad to have you dropping by. don't be a stranger!
Oh, and thank you very much librarianism, I appreciate the very nice words.
P~
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